Scandalous Peter Zhukov squeeze the juice from the Russians

The growing market of healthy nutrition, whose turnover is estimated at almost 900 billion rubles. per year, began to interest well-known investors. Pyotr Zhukov, son of First Deputy Speaker of the State Duma Alexander Zhukov, became a co-owner of the Frutti company, which produces about 800 thousand liters of natural juices and smoothies in Moscow in a year. The demand for such products is growing annually, but so far limited to a high price.

The son of Alexander Zhukov, First Deputy Speaker of the State Duma, Pyotr Zhukov, became the owner of 40% in Frutti LLC in November 2018, it follows from the Register. The company, according to its own data, produces natural smoothies and juices using direct pressing technology in Moscow, as well as gazpacho under the brand be true. Products are positioned in the segment of healthy nutrition and are supplied to Perekrestok (included in X5 Retail Group), Alphabet of Taste, Globus Gourmet, Starbucks, etc., according to the Frutti website.

Another 60% of Frutti is controlled by Arthur Sirakanyan, the owner and CEO of K Capital, which manages several projects of businessman Alexander Kolobov, including the networks of Shokoladnitsa, Burger King, etc. Mr. Zhukov is the founder of the investment fund Indigo Capital Partners. In the spring of 2007, he was sentenced to 14 months in prison for participating in a fight in London. Earlier, the share of Pyotr Zhukov in “Frutti” was with Maria Minskova.

Mr. Zhukov became a co-owner of Frutti and invested in the project, they told Kommersant at Indigo Capital Partners. According to the representative of the fund, the businessman sees great prospects for the development of a healthy nutrition market and considers the company's potential not fully realized. Mr. Sirakanyan also explained to “Kommersant” the interest in business by the prospects for the development of the market for healthy products. According to the estimates of the executive director of Rusprodsoyuz, Dmitry Vostrikov, in three years the turnover of the segment can grow from 870 billion to 900 billion rubles. The current capacity of Frutti is about 250 thousand bottles per month (approximately 800 thousand liters per year). According to Mr. Sirakanyan, in 2019–2020 the production volume is planned to increase. In addition, the range is expanding, the line of iced tea is already included in it, the possibilities of producing other products are being studied, added to Indigo Capital Partners. Investments in the project are not disclosed. According to the source of “Kommersant” in a large food company, a line of similar capacity for the production of juices in the Tetra Pak package may cost about $ 8 million.

Healthy juice drinks are one of the most promising niches on the market, says Kommersant. According to the representative of the Alphabet of Taste, Andrei Golubkov, the consumption of smoothies in the stores of the chain grows by about 25% annually, and the demand for food products for healthy nutrition as a whole increases by 15-18%. Be true are presented in almost all the stores of the Perekrestok chain and demonstrate fairly high sales figures, added to X5. Euromonitor International notes that with the trend for a healthy lifestyle, many manufacturers today are moving away from the production of soda and sugar beverages towards more healthy alternative products. Against this background, the Russian juice market in 2018 may be reduced by 5%, to 1.93 billion liters, in monetary terms, its volume may decline by 3.7%, to 161.59 billion rubles, predict in Euromonitor.

PepsiCo (brands J7, “I”, “Orchard”) reported that in October this year they launched the production of cocktail J7 “Healthy Breakfast” with cereals. In addition, the company plans to bring its gazpacho Alvalle to the Russian market. "Pridonya Gardens" began selling herbal drinks based on oats and buckwheat Nemoloko, as well as producing "Easy Smoothies," said a company representative. Coca-Cola (“Good”, Rich) in the summer of 2018 also brought to Russia a vegetable analogue of milk Adez. X5 says that, given the dynamics of demand for products for a healthy diet, they will continue to develop this category. But while their consumption is limited to small volumes of production and high prices, indicates the source of "b". For comparison: Santal juice Italian Parmalat in the "Crossroads" is sold at 35.9 rubles. for packaging of the same volume be true.